The morphology ultrasound is often the most anticipated test of a woman’s pregnancy. In this examination, you can clearly see every detail of your unborn baby. The doctor will look closely at the organs, arteries and all of the bones and limbs.

20 WEEK • DAY 2

Cephalic perimeter

This is the measurement of the head of your baby. Doctors take this measurement at this stage of your pregnancy to check for abnormalities or deformities such as microcephaly or hydrocephalus, and to ensure that your baby is growing at a normal rate. There is a chart that you can use to compare the measurements and track the growth of your baby.

20 WEEK • DAY 3

IMPORTANT: Don’t worry if you haven’t been able to see the sex of your baby yet. There are numerous ways to find out, including blood tests, urine tests and fetal tubercle analysis.

20 WEEK • DAY 4

Revelation day

This is the time when you will most likely find out the gender of your unborn baby. Why not have some fun with how you spread the news to family and friends? You can have a party or send out beautiful animated announcements. Spread the joy in a way that is original and unique to you.

20 WEEK • DAY 5

The importance of a morphology ultrasound

A morphology ultrasound can be done between 11 and 14 weeks, and between 20 and 24 weeks. The first step is for the doctor to do a nuchal translucency screening to check for the potential of Down syndrome. Next, the doctor will look at the baby’s inner development.

20 WEEK • DAY 6

Genital herpes during pregnancy

Contracting genital herpes while pregnant can be very serious. If it remains undiagnosed or untreated, it can pose a serious risk to the development of the fetus, and even transmit to your baby during birth. It’s essential to visit your doctor when the first symptoms appear.

20 WEEK • DAY 7

IMPORTANT: Your body has already changed a lot and your skin in the abdomen area has stretched quite a bit. Make sure you give your skin some extra care with nourishing body lotions or oils. This will help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks that are very common on the stomach, thighs, back and breasts.

Key takeaway box:

1At 20 weeks, your baby is about 17cm in length and weighs about 320grams.

2Arms, legs, hands and fingers are completely formed so now your baby is just putting on weight and growing.

3In an ultrasound examination, it’s possible to see your little one move around inside your abdomen.

4Some discomforts begin to arise due to the weight of your baby. Additionally, the frequency of trips to the bathroom tends to increase due to this weight on top of your bladder.

5By the end of your pregnancy, your belly button may be sticking out completely, but this will normalize after the baby is born.

More information about this week of pregnancy

At 20 weeks, your baby is about 17cm long and weighs about 320grams. Additionally, your uterus has expanded so much that it’s reached the height of your belly button. At this stage, it’s essential for you to stay well hydrated and to look after your skin as it stretches.

Drinking water has never been so important. In order to keep your baby healthy, be sure to drink about 2 liters of liquid (water, coconut water and natural juices) per day. This will help keep things moist as the vernix increases in order to protect the baby.

Your baby’s development

Your baby is almost completely formed now, with arms, legs, hands and fingers all in evidence. Hair has begun to grow and should be visible in an ultrasound now. Additionally, your baby’s skin is starting to change from the pink of new skin to a darker color. Your baby is now in the gaining weight and growing phase. In fact, in an ultrasound, you’ll notice that your baby looks a lot chubbier.

Your baby’s internal organs are also developing rapidly in this period. However, its lungs are still not working. At 20 weeks of gestation, your baby will begin to swallow amniotic fluid as its digestive system starts working and getting ready for the outside world.

Another important milestone during this stage is the fact that your baby is now starting to produce meconium in its intestines. This is the first stool that your baby will release after birth and is made up of what it swallows in the amniotic fluid, bile, mucus and epithelial cells from the developing intestines.

This is also the period when your baby starts to really get active for the first time. When it isn’t sleeping, your baby will be moving around in your uterus. You’ll most likely feel kicks and fluttering sensations. In an ultrasound, you’ll likely be astounded as you watch your baby moving its hands, touching its face and even playing with the umbilical cord.

How is mom feeling?

At 20 weeks gestation, you’ve probably gained around 6.6 pounds at least and feel the need to eat around every three hours. You’ll likely also be craving foods that are rich in calcium and vitamins, such as white cheese, yoghurt, cereal, fruits and juice.

You are now halfway through your pregnancy and are going to see some rapid physical changes. Up until now, your stomach has likely been growing slowly, but now it’s starting to look bigger and rounder.

Along with this growth, you’ll start to experience some discomforts from the extra weight. Your back may start to hurt and you’ll find that you need to make more regular trips to the bathroom thanks to the baby pushing down on your bladder. Shortness of breath is also a common symptom at this stage. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you are worried about any of these symptoms.

The main discomforts you’ll experience

Aside from the discomforts caused by the extra weight, there are various symptoms that you may well experience. One of the main things that women report is heartburn. Try to avoid fatty or acidic foods that will exacerbate the problem. You can also try eating icy foods as the cold will give some relief to the pain.

You may also notice that your belly button is starting to become more pronounced and even starting to stick out. By the end of the gestation period, your belly button may be sticking out completely. This will go back to normal once your baby is born, don’t worry.

External changes

By this stage, people should easily be able to see that you are now pregnant. The weight may be making life a little difficult, but it’s important to control your weight gain through portion control and doing light exercise.

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Weeks

21 weeks left

From adminfor Famivita

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O Trocando

Famivita is an informative platform for mothers, pregnant women and women who are trying to conceive. We provide objective information and presents possible solutions and paths based on reports and examples of women who have experienced similar situations.

The direct interaction and possibility to ask questions are integral parts of the Famivita community, besides providing useful tools like fertility, pregnancy and baby name calculators.